Universal multipurpose sensor fixing device

ABSTRACT

A universal multipurpose sensor fixing device comprises a radial positioning mechanism, supporting mechanisms, bases, acoustic emission test sensor mounting mechanisms, and parallelism adjusting members. Each supporting mechanism includes a main arm and an auxiliary arm having one end connected to the main arm and a ball head on the other end. A parallelism adjusting member mounting mechanism is provided at the joint of the main arm and the auxiliary arm. The main arms are respectively connected to the two free ends of the radial positioning mechanism to position the auxiliary arms at the inner sides of the main arms, arranged axis symmetrically with respect to the central line of the radial positioning mechanism. The ball heads of the two auxiliary arms are located within spherical holes of the bases to form universal revolute pairs. A set of acoustic emission test sensor mounting mechanisms are mounted at each base.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an acoustic emission test sensor fixing device used in columnar test piece experiment and test of materials such as rock and concrete.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In rock mechanical experiments, when acoustic emission features of rock damage process and etc. are tested, the acoustic emission test sensors currently used do not have specific fixing devices, and two fixing methods of winding with rubber belt and fastening with bungee are commonly adopted in current experiments and tests. Acoustic emission test sensors generally have a diameter within the range of 5 mm to 15 mm and need to couple tested members using media such as a gel, butter, vaseline and etc. as a coupler, which result in that the fixing methods of winding with rubber belt and fastening with bungee are unable to ensure fine parallelism between the end face of the acoustic emission test sensor and the coupling face of the tested member and the fine coupling between the end face of the acoustic emission test sensor and the tested member, especially, test pieces with irregular shapes make the fixing more difficult. Also, couplers such as butter, vaseline and etc. may easily result in the adhesion reduction or failure of the rubber belt, and the rubber belt may easily form great binding on the acoustic emission test sensor during radial swelling and deforming of the tested member, so that it undertakes increasing force and is even damaged to some extent; for the fixing method of fastening by bungee, although the bungee is elongated by pulling during radial swelling and deforming of tested member and may deform to some extent, this fixing method may easily cause the acoustic emission test sensor to tumble, and thus it is difficult to ensure fine contact between the acoustic emission test sensor and the tested member. In addition, the above mentioned two fixing methods need to be performed before test pre-adding and adjustment cannot be made during the test, and it is also difficult to accurately contraposition the acoustic emission test sensor. The above mentioned two fixing methods also have the following problems: (1) they can hardly ensure the consistency of force to the acoustic emission test sensor in the same batch of tested members and may easily form many pseudo signals, thus resulting in much difficulty to analysis and judgment of the test result; and (2) they cause the mounting of other deforming test sensors very inconvenient.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention may provide a universal acoustic emission test sensor fixing device, to ensure fine contact between the acoustic emission test sensor and the tested members with different shapes (being regular and irregular), and improve test efficiency and the accuracy and the truthfulness of the testing.

The universal acoustic emission test sensor fixing device according to the present invention comprises a radial positioning mechanism, supporting mechanisms, bases, acoustic emission test sensor mounting mechanisms, and parallelism adjusting members, wherein the supporting mechanisms, the bases, the acoustic emission test sensor mounting mechanisms, and the parallelism adjusting members are all in two sets; the supporting mechanism includes a main supporting arm and an auxiliary supporting arm, with one end of the auxiliary supporting arm being fixedly connected to or hinged with the main supporting arm and the other end being provided with a ball head, and a parallelism adjusting member mounting mechanism is provided at the joint of the main supporting arm and the auxiliary supporting arm, and the base is provided with a spherical hole matching the ball head of the auxiliary supporting arm. The above assemblies or members are assembled as follows: the main supporting arms of two sets of supporting mechanisms are respectively connected to the two free ends of the radial positioning mechanism in the way that the auxiliary supporting arms of the two sets of supporting mechanisms are respectively located at the inner sides of the main supporting arms and are arranged axis symmetrically with respect to the central line of the radial positioning mechanism, and the ball heads of the two auxiliary supporting arms are respectively located within the spherical holes of the two bases to form universal revolute pairs, two sets of acoustic emission test sensor mounting mechanisms are respectively mounted at the two bases, and two sets of parallelism adjusting members are respectively mounted on the two main supporting arms via mounting mechanisms provided on the main supporting arms.

Exemplary structures of the above assemblies constituting the acoustic emission test sensor fixing device according to the present invention are described as follows:

-   -   1. The radial positioning mechanism includes two elastomers and         one screw, and the two elastomers are respectively connected         with rigid ends at respective one end, each of said rigid ends         is provided with a screw hole matching the screw, and the screw         forms screw pairs respectively with the screw holes in the two         rigid ends; or the radial positioning mechanism only consists of         elastomers.     -   2. The base is a rectangular or circular platform and is         provided with a slot in the lower portion, and the spherical         holes matching the ball heads of the auxiliary supporting arm         are provided in the upper surface of the base; corresponding to         the structure of the base, the acoustic emission test sensor         mounting mechanism comprises a plugboard matching the slot in         the base, an acoustic emission test sensor mounting member and         an acoustic emission test sensor fixing member; the plugboard is         provided with a plugboard fixing buckle or a plugboard fixing         screw hole, and the plugboard is inserted into the slot of the         base and fixed with the base via a bolt or the fixing buckle;         the acoustic emission test sensor mounting member is a cylinder         provided with a gap and is fixedly connected with or forms a         one-piece structure with the plugboard, with its inner diameter         matching the outer diameter of an acoustic emission test sensor         (during implementation, cylinders with different inner diameters         can be made according to the acoustic emission test sensor, to         form a series of cylinders meeting the demands of testing); the         acoustic emission test sensor fixing member consists of a         circular elastic plate provided with a gap and a fastening screw         or a fixing buckle, when the acoustic emission test sensor is         mounted within the cylinder with a gap, the circular elastic         plate with a gap is put around the gap section of the cylinder,         and then the acoustic emission test sensor is fixed within the         cylinder via a fastening screw or the fixing buckle.     -   3. The base is a rectangular or circular platform and is         provided with a connecting screw hole in the lower portion, and         the spherical holes matching the ball heads of the auxiliary         supporting arm are provided in the upper surface of the base;         corresponding to the structure of the base, the acoustic         emission test sensor mounting mechanism comprises a threaded         section matching the connecting screw hole in the base, an         acoustic emission test sensor mounting member and an acoustic         emission test sensor fixing member; the threaded section is         mounted within the connecting screw hole in the lower portion of         the base and is fixedly connected via threaded connection; the         acoustic emission test sensor mounting member is a cylinder         provided with a gap and is fixedly connected with or forms a         one-piece structure with the end face of the threaded section,         with its inner diameter matching the outer diameter of an         acoustic emission test sensor, and the acoustic emission test         sensor fixing member consists of a circular elastic plate         provided with a gap and a fixing buckle or a fastening screw.     -   4. The parallelism adjusting member consists of three screws,         the parallelism adjusting member mounting mechanism provided at         the joint of the main supporting arm and the auxiliary         supporting arm consists of two mounting screw holes provided in         the main supporting arm and a mounting plate hinged with the         main supporting arm and located between the two screw holes, and         the mounting plate is provided with a mounting screw hole.

The using method for the universal acoustic emission test sensor fixing device according to the present invention is described as follows:

-   -   1. Determine the number of the acoustic emission test sensors         and the mounting position thereof at the tested member according         to the shape of the tested member and the object of the         experiment test, and mount the acoustic emission test sensor         within the acoustic emission test sensor fixing device;     -   2. Place the tested member between upper and lower load press         heads of a test machine, respectively, place the acoustic         emission test sensors mounted within respective acoustic         emission test sensor fixing devices at two sides of different         portions of the tested member to be tested respectively, and         attach the acoustic emission test sensors to the tested member         tightly via the radial positioning mechanism; and     -   3. Rotate the base so that the end face of the acoustic emission         test sensor mounted in the acoustic emission test sensor fixing         device is substantially parallel to the coupling surface portion         of the tested member, adjust the mounting plate hinged with the         main supporting arm to a suitable position, and then adjust the         end face of the acoustic emission test sensor via the         parallelism adjusting member so that it is substantially         parallel to the coupling surface of the tested member.

Upon conformity of mounting and adjusting of the acoustic emission test sensors with requirements, the test piece that needs to be tested can be tested according to a predetermined experiment and test solution.

The present invention realizes the following advantageous effects:

-   -   1. As the ball heads of the auxiliary supporting arm form         universal revolute pairs with the spherical holes of the bases         and the radial positioning mechanism includes elastic members,         the universal acoustic emission test sensor fixing device         according to the present invention is applicable to tested         members of various shapes (being regular or irregular), and the         acoustic emission test sensor fixing device can attach the         acoustic emission test sensors tightly to the tested member         during the whole test process and keep the end face of the         acoustic emission test sensors mounted in the acoustic emission         test sensor fixing device parallel to the coupling surface of         the tested member, thereby ensuring the truthfulness of the test         result and improving the accuracy of the test result.     -   2. As the radial positioning mechanism comprises elastic         members, when the tested member swells radially in the test,         force of the acoustic emission test sensor will not be         increased, which could easily ensure force consistency of the         acoustic emission test sensor during testing for the same batch         of tested members, thereby lowering the influence of the pseudo         signals on the testing result and also improving the life of the         acoustic emission testing sensor.     -   3. The acoustic emission test sensor fixing device according to         the present invention makes it convenient to arrange the         acoustic emission test sensor at any position on the surface of         the tested member, and other deforming test sensors can be         arranged at the same time, so as to obtain more different         testing information of the tested member during the same testing         process.     -   4. Using the acoustic emission test sensor fixing device         according to the present invention, the acoustic emission test         sensor can be mounted at any period of time before or after         pre-adding contact load to the tested member, and the position         of the acoustic emission test sensor can also be adjusted during         the experiment.     -   5. The universal acoustic emission test sensor fixing device         according to the present invention is convenient in use, it can         be mounted quickly, and can improve test efficiency.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a first structure of the universal acoustic emission test sensor fixing device according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating a second structure of the universal acoustic emission test sensor fixing device according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view illustrating a third structure of the universal acoustic emission test sensor fixing device according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view illustrating the parallelism adjusting member mounting mechanism provided on the main supporting arm in the universal acoustic emission test sensor fixing device according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view illustrating a structure of the base in the universal acoustic emission test sensor fixing device according to the present invention and an assembling of the base and the auxiliary supporting arm;

FIG. 6 is a top view of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a right view of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a schematic view illustrating a first structure of the acoustic emission test sensor mounting mechanism in the universal acoustic emission test sensor fixing device according to the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a top view of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a schematic view illustrating a second structure of the acoustic emission test sensor mounting mechanism in the universal acoustic emission test sensor fixing device according to the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a top view of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a schematic view illustrating another structure of the base in the universal acoustic emission test sensor fixing device according to the present invention and an assembling of the base and the auxiliary supporting arm;

FIG. 13 is a top view of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a schematic view illustrating a third structure of the acoustic emission test sensor mounting mechanism in the universal acoustic emission test sensor fixing device according to the present invention; and

FIG. 15 is a schematic view illustrating the assembling of the base in FIG. 12 and the acoustic emission test sensor mounting mechanism in FIG. 14.

In the figures: 1-screw, 2-rigid end, 3-arc elastomer, 4-main supporting arm, 5-parallelism adjusting member, 6-parallelism adjusting member mounting plate, 7-auxiliary supporting arm, 8-base, 9-acoustic emission test sensor mounting mechanism, 10-acoustic emission test sensor, 11-tested member, 12-semicircular elastomer, 13-mounting screw hole in the parallelism adjusting member, 14-ball head, 15-slot, 16-plugborad, 17-cylinder provided with gap, 18-circular elastic plate provided with gap, 19-sensor fixing buckle, 20-plugborad fixing buckle, 21-plugboard fixing screw hole, 22-sensor fastening screw, 23-connecting screw hole, and 24-threaded section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The specific structure of the universal acoustic emission test sensor fixing device according to the present invention will be further detailed hereinafter in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Embodiment 1

In this embodiment, the structure of the universal acoustic emission test sensor fixing device is shown in FIG. 1, comprising a radial positioning mechanism, supporting mechanisms, bases 8, acoustic emission test sensor mounting mechanisms 9, and parallelism adjusting members 5, wherein the supporting mechanisms, the bases, the acoustic emission test sensor mounting mechanisms, and the parallelism adjusting members are all in two sets.

The radial positioning mechanism, as shown in FIG. 1, comprises two arc elastomers 3 and one screw 1, and the two arc elastomers are respectively connected with rigid ends 2 at respective one end, each of said rigid ends is provided with a screw hole matching the screw, and the screw forms screw pairs respectively with the screw holes in the two rigid ends. The supporting mechanism, as shown in FIG. 1, comprises a main supporting arm 4 and an auxiliary supporting arm 7; the main supporting arm 4 is made of nickel titanium alloy and has a rectangular cross section; a parallelism adjusting member mounting mechanism is provided at the joint of the main supporting arm and the auxiliary supporting arm, as shown in FIG. 4, the parallelism adjusting member mounting mechanism consists of two mounting screw holes 13 provided in the main supporting arm and a mounting plate 6 hinged with the main supporting arm and located between the two screw holes, and the mounting plate 6 provided with one mounting screw hole 13 therein; the auxiliary supporting arm 7 is made of nickel titanium alloy and has a circular cross section, with its one end fixed on the main supporting arm via threaded connection and the other end provided with ball heads 14 (as shown in FIGS. 1 and 7). The base 8, as shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, has an overall shape of rectangular platform, and the base is provided with a slot 15 in the lower portion, and the spherical hole matching the ball head of the auxiliary supporting arm is provided in the upper surface of the base. The acoustic emission test sensor mounting mechanism 9, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, comprises a plugboard 16 matching the slot in the base, a cylinder 17 with a gap, a circular elastic plate 18 with a gap and a fixing buckle 19, wherein the plugboard 16 is provided with a plugboard fixing buckle 20, the cylinder 17 is fixedly connected with the plugboard 16 at the end without the gap, and the end thereof with the gap is a free end, the circular elastic plate 18 provided with the gap is put around the gap section of the cylinder, and the acoustic emission test sensor 10 is fixed within the cylinder 17 via the fixing buckle 19. The parallelism adjusting member 5 consists of three screws.

The above assemblies and members are assembled as follows: the main supporting arms 4 of the two sets of supporting mechanisms are respectively connected to the two free ends of the two arc elastomers 3 of the radial positioning mechanism, in the way that the two auxiliary supporting arms 7 are respectively located at the inner sides of the main supporting arms and are arranged axis symmetrically with respect to the central line of the radial positioning mechanism; the ball heads 14 of the two auxiliary supporting arms are respectively located in the spherical holes in the two bases to form universal revolute pairs; the plugboards 16 of the two sets of acoustic emission test sensor mounting mechanisms are respectively inserted into the slots 15 of the two bases and are fixed via the plugbaord fixing buckles 20; and the screws making up of the two sets of parallelism adjusting members 5 are respectively mounted in the screw holes 13 in the parallelism adjusting member mounting mechanism provided on the two main supporting arms 4.

Embodiment 2

In this embodiment, the structure of the universal acoustic emission test sensor fixing device is shown in FIG. 2, comprising a radial positioning mechanism, supporting mechanisms, bases 8, acoustic emission test sensor mounting mechanisms 9, and parallelism adjusting members 5, wherein the supporting mechanisms, the bases, the acoustic emission test sensor mounting mechanisms, and the parallelism adjusting members are all in two sets.

Different from embodiment 1, it is described in embodiment 2 that: 1) the radial positioning mechanism is a semicircular elastomer 12 (as shown in FIG. 2); and 2) the base 8, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, is provided with a connecting screw hole 23 in the lower portion; the acoustic emission test sensor mounting mechanism 9, as shown in FIG. 14, comprises a threaded section 24 matching the connecting screw hole in the base, a cylinder 17 provided with a gap, a circular elastic plate 18 provided with a gap, and a fastening screw 22, wherein the threaded section 24 is mounted within the connecting screw hole 23 in the lower portion of the base and is fixedly connected with the base 8 via threaded connection (as shown in FIG. 15), the cylinder 17 provided with a gap and the threaded section 24 form a one-piece structure, and the end of the cylinder with the gap is a free end; the circular elastic plate 18 provided with a gap is put around the gap section of the cylinder, and the acoustic emission test sensor 10 is fixed within the cylinder 17 via the fastening screw 22.

Embodiment 3

In this embodiment, the structure of the universal acoustic emission test sensor fixing device is shown in FIG. 3, comprising a radial positioning mechanism, supporting mechanisms, bases 8, acoustic emission test sensor mounting mechanisms 9, and parallelism adjusting members 5, wherein the supporting mechanisms, the bases, the acoustic emission test sensor mounting mechanisms, and the parallelism adjusting members are all in two sets.

Different from embodiment 1, it is described in embodiment 3 that: 1) the radial positioning mechanism, as shown in FIG. 3, comprises a straight-bar elastomer 3 and a screw 1, and the two straight-bar elastomers are respectively connected with rigid ends 2 at respective one end, with the rigid end is provided therein with a screw hole matching the screw, and the screw forms a screw pair with the screw holes in the two rigid ends; 2) the auxiliary supporting arm 7 is hinged with the main supporting arm 4; and 3) the acoustic emission test sensor mounting mechanism 9, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, comprises a plugboard 16 matching the slot in the base, a cylinder 17 provided with a gap, a circular elastic plate 18 provided with a gap, and a fastening screw 22, wherein the plugboard 16 is provided with four plugboard fixing screw holes 21 therein, and is fixed within the slot 15 in the base via a bolt, the cylinder 17 and the plugboard 16 form a one-piece structure, and the end of the cylinder with the gap is a free end; the circular elastic plate 18 provided with a gap is put around the gap section of the cylinder, and the acoustic emission test sensor 10 is fixed within the cylinder 17 via the fastening screw 22. 

1.-14. (canceled)
 15. A universal acoustic emission test sensor fixing device, comprising: a radial positioning mechanism; a supporting mechanism including: a main supporting arm, and an auxiliary supporting arm, a first end of the auxiliary supporting arm connected to the main supporting arm and a second end of the auxiliary supporting arm including a ball head; a base coupled to the auxiliary supporting arm to form a revolute member; an acoustic emission test sensor mounting mechanism mounted at the base; and a mounting mechanism mounted on the main supporting arm and located at a joint formed by the main supporting arm and the auxiliary supporting arm, the mounting mechanism mounting an adjusting member for adjusting the base relative to an object to be tested, and the main supporting arm connected to a first end of the radial positioning mechanism to position the auxiliary supporting arm at an inner side of the main supporting arm and arranged axis symmetrically with respect to a central line of the radial positioning mechanism.
 16. The universal acoustic emission test sensor fixing device of claim 15, where the radial positioning mechanism comprises an elastomer that connects the main supporting arm to the radial positioning mechanism.
 17. The universal acoustic emission test sensor fixing device of claim 16, where the elastomer comprises a rigid end that connects the main supporting arm to the radial positioning mechanism.
 18. The universal acoustic emission test sensor fixing device of claim 15, where the main supporting arm comprises a rectangular cross section and the auxiliary supporting arm comprises a circular cross section.
 19. The universal acoustic emission test sensor fixing device of claim 15, where the base comprises a spherical hole, formed in an upper surface of the base, the spherical hole receiving the ball head to couple the base to the auxiliary supporting arm.
 20. The universal acoustic emission test sensor fixing device of claim 15, where the acoustic emission test sensor mounting mechanism comprises a plugboard that is received in a slot formed in the base to mount the acoustic emission test sensor mounting mechanism to the base.
 21. The universal acoustic emission test sensor fixing device of claim 15, further comprising: a second mounting mechanism mounted on a second main supporting arm and located at a joint formed by the second main supporting arm and a second auxiliary supporting arm that is connected to the second main supporting arm, the second mounting mechanism mounting a second adjusting member for adjusting a second base relative to the object to be tested, the base and the second base being positioned on opposing sides of the object to be tested.
 22. A method comprising: connecting a first main supporting arm of a first supporting mechanism to a first end of a radial positioning mechanism to cause a first auxiliary supporting arm of the first supporting mechanism to be arranged axis symmetrically with respect to a central line of the radial positioning mechanism; connecting a second main supporting arm of a second supporting mechanism to a second end of the radial positioning mechanism to cause a second auxiliary supporting arm of a second mechanism to be arranged axis symmetrically with respect to the central line of the radial positioning mechanism; connecting a first base member to the first auxiliary supporting arm and a second base member to the second auxiliary supporting arm to form a revolute pair for receiving an object to be tested; mounting a first acoustic emission sensor to the first base member and a second acoustic emission sensor to the second base member; and mounting a first parallelism adjusting member to the first main supporting arm and a second parallelism adjusting member to the second main supporting arm.
 23. The method of claim 22, further comprising: positioning the object to be tested between the first base member and the second base member; and adjusting a position of the first parallelism adjusting member to adjust a position of the first base member with respect to the object to be tested.
 24. The method of claim 23, further comprising: adjusting a position of the second parallelism adjusting member to adjust a position of the second base member with respect to the object to be tested.
 25. The method of claim 22, where a first end of the first auxiliary supporting arm hinged with the first main supporting arm and a second end of the first auxiliary supporting arm comprises a ball head, and where connecting the first base member to the first auxiliary supporting arm includes: receiving the ball head within a spherical hole formed in a surface of the first base member.
 26. The method of claim 22, where connecting the first main supporting arm to the radial positioning mechanism includes: connecting the first main supporting arm to a first arc elastomer of the radial positioning mechanism.
 27. The method of claim 22, where the first base member includes a slot for receiving a first plugboard of a first mounting mechanism that mounts the first acoustic emission test sensor to the first base member and the second base member includes a slot for receiving a second plugboard of a second mounting mechanism that mounts the second acoustic emission test sensor to the second base member.
 28. A device comprising: a radial positioning mechanism; a first mechanism attached to a first end of the radial positioning mechanism and a second mechanism attached to a second end of the radial positioning mechanism, each of the first mechanism and the second mechanism including: a first arm, a second arm, a first end of the second arm connected to the first arm and a second end of the second arm including an attachment portion, the first arm connected to the first end of the radial positioning mechanism to position the second arm: at an inner side of the first arm, and arranged axis symmetrically with respect to a central line of the radial positioning mechanism, a base coupled to the second arm to form a revolute member; a first mounting mechanism connected to the base, the first mounting mechanism mounting an acoustic emission test sensor that is used to test an object, and a second mounting mechanism connected to the first arm and located at a joint formed by the first arm and the second arm, the second mounting mechanism mounting an adjusting member for adjusting the base relative to the object.
 29. The device of claim 28, where the first end and the second end of the radial positioning mechanism each comprise: an elastomer that connects the first arm to the radial positioning mechanism.
 30. The device of claim 28, where the first end and the second end of the radial positioning mechanism each comprise: an elastomer that includes a rigid end that connects the first arm to the radial positioning mechanism.
 31. The device of claim 28, where the first arm comprises a rectangular cross section and the second arm comprises a circular cross section.
 32. The device of claim 28, where the base comprises: a spherical hole, formed in an upper surface of the base, the spherical hole receiving the attachment portion to couple the base to the second arm.
 33. The device of claim 28, where the first mounting mechanism comprises: an elongated member that is received in a slot formed in the base to connect the first mounting mechanism to the base.
 34. The device of claim 28, where the base included in the first mechanism and the base included the second mechanism are positioned on opposing sides of the object and cooperate to retain the object within the device. 